Overview

• Burton’s family said he died Sunday in San Francisco of natural causes at age 92.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags lowered and said Burton will be inducted posthumously into the California Hall of Fame.
• Across more than six decades, Burton served in the California Assembly and state Senate, led the Senate as president pro tem, represented San Francisco in Congress, and later chaired the California Democratic Party.
• He mentored generations of leaders, including Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer and Alex Padilla, drawing tributes from figures such as Newsom, Willie Brown, Rusty Hicks and Senate leader Mike McGuire.
• After leaving elective office, he founded John Burton Advocates for Youth, which helped secure more than 50 foster‑care reforms; his family said a celebration of life is pending and requested donations to the nonprofit in his memory.